David Baria beats Howard Sherman in U.S. Senate Democratic runoff

Mississippi state rep. David Baria has jumped into the Senate race with a mission focused on social justice and David prevailing over Goliath.

State Rep. David Baria, D-Bay St. Louis, a U.S. Senate Democratic runoff candidate, helps a woman down the steps at a Jackson, Miss., precinct, Tuesday, June 26, 2018. If he wins the party nomination, Baria will face incumbent Republican U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker, and others in the fall general election.(Photo: Rogelio V. Solis/AP)

Attorney and veteran state lawmaker David Baria defeated venture capitalist Howard Sherman, husband of Meridian native and Emmy-award winning actress Sela Ward, to become the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate.

Baria led Tuesday night with 59 percent to 41 percent, with 99 percent of votes in from a low turnout election. Baria won despite having a fraction of his opponent's campaign funds.

Baria, a state representative from Bay St. Louis backed by many establishment Democrats across the state, will face Republican Incumbent U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker in November.

"I'm very appreciative of everybody who got back out to the polls again just three weeks after the June 5 primary," Baria said late Tuesday night. "I'm just very grateful for what I would consider to be a team win."

Sherman — who loaned $650,000 to his own campaign and raised nearly $200,000 by June 6 — had spent considerably more money campaigning than Baria and hired nationally recognized campaign managers.

Baria raised nearly $300,000, according to data available on the Federal Election Commission website.

But Baria's message, which emphasized his Mississippi roots, considering Sherman is from California, seemed to resonate.

"I was really excited and clearly I miscalculated," Sherman said Tuesday night. "I thought a state that was at the bottom of every list that matters was ready for change."

Baria came from placing third in the primary in Warren and Adams Counties, where Vicksburg and Natchez are located, to receiving roughly 60 and 70 percent of the vote there, respectively.

Baria is the minority leader in the House and a trial lawyer who spent much of his career representing people against large companies.

"He's represented some people in cases that I'm familiar with and his work in the Legislature, as it relates to education and health care, is something that I feel near and dear to and for that I'm supportive of him," said U.S. Congressman Bennie Thompson, who endorsed Baria.

Baria also picked up the endorsement of the Mississippi Legislative Black Caucus and three Democrats from Lauderdale County, where Meridian is located: Weston Lindemann, John Flowers and Cornelius Parks, from the Lauderdale County Democratic Party Executive Committee.

"That's the status quo and the status quo has a big investment in keeping the status quo," Sherman said.

Baria is running on a platform of bolstering consumer protections, tax reform in favor of working families, equal pay, strengthening the Affordable Care Act and prioritizing infrastructure.

Sherman had squeezed out the lead in the June 5 primary against Baria, Rep. Omeria Scott, D-Laurel, and three other long-shot candidates. Sherman received nearly 32 percent of the vote to Baria's 31 percent and Scott's 24 percent.

Though a member of the legislative black caucus, Scott endorsed Sherman, saying "Howard Sherman can raise the money needed to defeat Roger Wicker in the fall."

Hollywood A-listers Robert De Niro and Alec Baldwin are among those who had hosted a fundraiser for Sherman.

Sherman picked up many of the counties in which Scott led, but gave up some counties to Baria and ultimately did not carry his momentum in the primary into the runoff.

"Congratulations to David Baria on his win in the Democratic run-off," Wicker said in a statement. "Gayle and I look forward to seeing him on the campaign trail. We will continue traveling the state, working to earn votes, and communicating our record of conservative accomplishments and a vision for our nation's future that reflects our Mississippi values."

A special election will appear on the same ticket in November to replace former longtime U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran following his resignation in April due to health concerns.

That election is a jungle primary including Cochran's temporary replacement Republican U.S. Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, state Sen. Chris McDaniel, R-Ellisville, and Democrat Mike Espy, a former U.S. House representative and secretary of agriculture in the Clinton administration.

Espy said he watched the runoff election results from Washington D.C., where is attending fundraisers for his senate campaign.

"I wish him well and I look forward to sitting down with him," said Espy, who did not endorse a candidate in the runoff.